Creggs – 43
Loughrea – 7

At half time with just a Shane Dowd penalty separating the sides few could have foreseen how the second period would unfold, particularly when the first chance fell to Loughrea with their normally reliable Paddy Burke hooking a kickable penalty after 5 minutes. 2 minutes later Creggs made the breakthrough, no. 8 Kevin Brandon powering over for a try near the posts after good work by Shane Dowd and Sean Quinn in the build-up. Dowd added the conversion and within a minute was back for a second after Creggs scored directly from the kick-off. Bernard Kilcommons fielded and surged through, the ball was carried forward by Tom Fleming who fed Quinn and the right winger ran the cleanest of lines diagonally from 50 metres out to touch down between the posts. Dowd put through left-winger Ryan Horan for Creggs third try with a deft kick which Horan collected on the bounce, Dowd converting from the touchline. Creggs were now 24 – nil ahead and things got worse for Loughrea as their no. 7 Fergal Braddock was yellow-carded mid way through the half. 5 minutes later flanker Alan Brandon added a fourth try, Dowd’s conversion rebounding off the upright, his only miss from the tee all afternoon. Again Creggs attacked immediately from the re-start with Dowd outpacing the defence to score in the right hand corner and adding the conversion before Philip Leech rounded off the Creggs scoring with a sixth try again converted by Dowd. Loughrea wrapped up the scoring with a consolation try from youthful scrum half Neil Gunning in the last minute, Paddy Burke’s successful conversion being the final act of the match. This win, also marked by an impressive senior debut by scrum half Michael Farrell, keeps Creggs on course for a second place finish in the league, NUIG having secured the top spot. The last game of the season sees Creggs play third placed Tuam in a winner takes all at The Green on Sunday 03 April, second place will secure a promotion play-off for the winner.

Creggs : K Gavin, S Quinn, B Egan, T Callaghan, R Horan, S Dowd, M Farrell, T Fleming, S O Higgins, A Leech, T Oates, R Cassidy, A Brandon, P Lohan, K Brandon, K Rushe, B Donoghue, B Kilcommons, P Leech, S Crehan.